Slave Market (6) - Proposition

No one dared made unnecessary movement in either sides, for safety reasons Stigma still released his Grudge energy, while Felix didn't call of his men from behind.

Clearly both were wary and wanted to see what the other party's agenda for coming here.

Felix wanted to stop Stigma and find out his origins, and if he had any connections to the Naga's, he would avoid any contact then kill him in silent before both parties meet.

Whereas Stigma wanted to find out if the Boars clan is approachable, but he can't strike a normal conversation after his display of madness, so he had to choose his words carefully.

Both had no idea who the opposite person was, but they were sure the other was a cultivator.

From where Felix was standing, he continued to feel an element made with Zen energy emanating from where Stigma was standing, and based on his reserves he estimated he was in the Zero Tiers.

He was surprise to see a young cultivator wandering around on his own and assumed he had a master, but decided it was a low possibility, and was a commoner with great talent who awakened his Zen.

He can understand he was on guard from his men, but he needed an insurance.

Stigma on the other hand didn't need to feel Felix energy nor use his skill in fear he might notice him and had counter measures, but he only needed his Grudge energy.

When he had tested his Grudge energy from previous battles he spotted some hints on how effective it was.

He observed that Heavenly Beast would feel some form of discomfort, followed with slow down movements, like they were being bound by weights on some parts of the body like their limbs.

Next he found those is the same tier had slight hesitations in movement like it was afraid.

He had already confirmed its effectiveness when he battled the snakes, which were all in the Zero Tier and the bats on the 1st Tier.

When he cancelled it, the snakes moved more rapidly than before, so he had a hard time in dealing with them, he had to focus mentally and physically.

But those in the higher Tier like the Tiger's have lesser effects, so he guessed Cultivators would have the same effect to some degree.

Doing such a mental task along with physical work made him extremely tired after just one fight, so he decided to practice it until he can do it for at least five minutes.

For know, he can stay in that state for three minutes as long as he stood still.

He already dealt with Wade, but was sure the man before him was stronger than him.

So he had to stay on guard at all times, unless he wanted to provoke someone at Wade's level.

But Stigma was not alarmed from the numbers, he had ways in dealing with the cultivator named Felix and he was not even discouraged by the ones behind him.

What concerned him was that he had no idea what the Boar Clans standing was, if he went against a super powered organization it would spell bad for his future actions especially now.

He didn't want his problems increasing in his current age of 10, then bite him back in the future.

Thinking for a while, he carefully choose his words and made a decision.

"So how shall we settle? Are you going to mediate?"

The bandits were looking at the newcomer Felix with some hope, they were aware that the Boars clan hold a standing in power, so wandering cultivators would have to listen to their orders or mediate the problem.

"...Let the market authorities deal with them, if you are still indignant about it you can sell them and settle a bargain, but I doubt they will be worth much since you injured them to quite a degree "

After hearing the idea they can only sigh in relief, this proposition was not bad and anything was better than being torture by a monster, but they suddenly felt the pressure from Stigma increasing as he looked at them.

"No deal, these trash dared slander me and you expect me to let this go, they have to compensate me a thousand time for the insult or else."

'How can you be that unreasonable!!'

Everyone was screaming the same idea, but no one voiced it out, only one person had a different expression with his mouth hanging wide open.

Felix was in shock, he had meet some stubborn people even his own mother was stubborn, but seeing someone demand such a thing was going to far.

Even if someone slandered him, he already made them pay by almost killing them, and he can tell he was faking his plans in torture.

Since Felix was behind, he saw the entire 'episode' he was playing in full view.

He kept on shifting his gaze from time to time like he was observing their reactions based on eye contact, even theirs.

He had seen that type of scare tactic before, and it was during the war, so he deemed him to at least be approachable for conversation.

"Little Brother, please you can't be unreasonable, what happened here in the first place?"

Now it was Stigma's turn to be in shock.

'You don't even know why your here, and you want to be part of it.'

Raising his eyebrow, he didn't know if he was fooling around or not.

"Are you that curious that you have to barge in and be involved, fine, let me show you what was the cause first."

He turned his body and pointed his finger to the desk, on top was a Heavenly Beast Core of the 2nd Tier was in full display.

Felix saw what he pointing at and gave a shocked expression, not just him but even the men behind him had wide eyed expressions.

They were all part of a clan, so they had seen and used their fair share of Beast Core so it was no surprise.

But seeing such a core inside this place was just out of place, they would normally see this core in a shop that specialize in them.

The area around them only had a handful of Beast to pose a threat to them, and with the Red Lilies, no Heavenly Beast dared venture here even at that level.

The last they saw was a 4th Tier hidden in a ravine so they steered clear from it, and the most they saw were beast in the 2nd Tier, and by scoping out the entire market the highest Cultivators were at most in the 2nd Tier, and only numbered in two's.

Since they were the highest power here, they would never allow them to walk out without permission.

Felix couldn't believe his eyes, he knew Stigma was a cultivator, but even he didn't believe he could kill a beast of that Tier, unless he used a trick.

He then summarized the key words during the conversation: slander, forgive, find out, lying, prove, and finally fix.

Putting all those all together along with those men's begging shrill, he understood then nodded and gave a disgusted look on the men on the floor.

Giving the bandits the feeling of despair.

Seeing him nod his head, Stigma smiled.

"Good, you understand where I'm going, but even I'm not that unreasonable so I gave them a chance to clear this entire scam up when I found out, but they still continued until the end by bearing their weapons at me."

He then walked over to the men with his knives and pulled them out, ignoring their screams and begging.

"So, I can only fight, in self defense[1], you...understand."

Stigma said the last part with a low and slow tone, that made them understand, he was not willing to forgive them that easily.

Each one of them continued to scream, but Stigma didn't care as he ripped a piece of fabric from one of them and started to wipe of the blood of his knives.

"Now that I think about it."

After sheathing the knives, Stigma turned his attention to the receptionist who was hiding behind the desk, but decided to finish his business.

"As for you bastards, I will follow his suggestion in having the authorities deal with you, but if I ever see you again."

Stigma grabbed onto one of the arms of the men nearest to him, since he struggled he started to rip his arm of slowly, as he ignored the man in pain.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!"

"You....Understand."

He gave his best savage grin as he looked down at them, then finally letting go after snapping it in half.

The man continued to wail in pain as he walked away, giving them a clear understanding on his action, there won't be a second.

The female receptionist wanted to puke but held it in, they were facing a monster that wanted to deal with her, the male receptionist had a pale face wanting to pass out but only digged in his fingernails from the constant gripping of his hand other hand to not offend him, the appraiser was already on his knees and wanted to leave but he didn't want him to have the wrong idea.

Stigma on the other hand was strolling towards them like nothing happened and wanted to finish his business.

After stepping in front of the desk he then tapped his finger on the table, leaving everyone confused on his action.

"The direction to my tent please, with all the shenanigans I have yet to look it over."

With great difficulty, the female receptionist was trying to get the gold card and pass it on to him only to drop it on the floor a few time, apologizing at the same time.

Stigma ignored her constant fumbling of her hand, but decided to take advantage of the situation.

He then lifted his finger and flexed it making her lean forward with .

"Payment has been made, right?"

Stigma had already displayed enough violence for today, but she wasn't aware and was already afraid if him, so he might as well take advantage of her ignorance.

"Y-yes!!! Payment has already been made!"

She was already a mess from running around and was covered in sweat, know she had snot rolling down her nose, along with some dirt from burying her face in the ground, making her even less attractive.

She was already a nervous wreck.

"By the way."

She wanted to never meet him again, but she was aware she was not out of the woods yet.

"That includes you."

After saying his piece a haggard women was left standing not moving an inch, as if she was playing dead.

Stigma went towards the exit with the Beast Core, but then stopped and turned his attention to Felix and made a proposition.

"If you don't have a place a stay, your welcome to join me, I'm still curious about you. If you want to know where I am, speak to that mess of a women."

Normally if she heard an insult, she would lash out on the offender and even curse, but she was being insulted by a monster so she kept it to herself and only felt her legs go numb.

...

Felix was in a dilemma, they already wasted enough time from this farce and he really wanted his men to rest, he was also curious on the youth called Stigma.

....

After thinking through his options, he then turned his head to his men and gave his proposition.

"We should follow him, he's more reasonable than you think."

The men all had a sour look, it was not as though the they felt some fear to Stigma, it was his origins.

They trust their Young Lord, but this decision could spell disaster for them all.

"...We trust you Young Lord."

...

While they were busy figuring out their next move, Stigma was being lead by a guard to a large tent with a stone pillars.

Right now Stigma was in a safe distance and finally decided to his skill 'Essence Reader' and was surprised on his discovery and speed up on getting to the tent.

He then turned his head away and made his way to the tent with a golden leaf.

After a while, Felix was leading his group then saw Stigma leaning on one of the pillar, grinning at Felix.

"So want to get in first or what?"

Stigma then entered without hearing their reply.

Felix was dumbfounded, he never met such a 'my pace' type of person in their first meeting.

When he pushed through the fabric, he saw the inside, like what she said the room was enough to accommodate about ten or so people, there were some basic furniture and an open bar.

He wanted to sleep already, but his proposition was agreed upon so he had to delay it for know.

Not long after Felix came in along with his men with tired expressions, one by one they entered and they numbered about eleven in total along with Felix.

Stigma then grabbed a chair and faced Felix's group and smiled.

"So you accept, what do you want to talk about know?"

[1] He is pulling each knife after each comma.